So, last weekend I get the urge to go rambling. I head up toward town - hwy 18 north to Brandon. I go across 80, take a left at the T, take a right at the four-way onto El Dorado road and the left to get onto the new 4-lane cut-through to Dogwood Festival on hwy 25. I take that onto Old Fannin and turn left onto Spillway road, then a right onto Harbor drive.
Here is where it gets interesting. I took a right at the end of Harbor drive, thinking there was a on-ramp to the Trace back there. There isn't and I'm not sure why I thought there was, but I headed that way up Rice road. It was a pretty fun ride, nice curves and such. I took a left at the light onto St. Augustine road and then and left onto Old Canton Road at Strawberry Patch Park. Passing the private airport on the left, I saw the big Baptist church on the right - there was a group of motorcycles, led by a trike, coming out of the parking lot and pulling in front of me.
Awkward, right? You don't want to just fall in with a group and act like you're a part of them, but you don't want to just slow down and fall back just to avoid them. I was hoping they were not headed north on the Trace like I was. So, they passed the Trace on-ramp and I took it... awkward averted. Until I realized that this on-ramp was a South-Only ramp. No signs indicating that - no signs indicating the Trace at all on Old Canton coming from Madison. I just knew that was about the spot to get on the Trace as I saw the Trace bridge. Well, as I hit South, I saw the group of riders hit the Northbound side. Yeah, that would have been weird.
So, I keep on to the next point of interest - the Craft Center. I turn around and head back North. I stop at the Overlook briefly to take a sip of my Monster Rehab Green Tea. Then back on the Trace toward the Cypress Swamp!
I realized about that time that I had left my long lens at home and only had the 35mm with me. Aaarrrggghhh!
I did get some okay shots though :
So, I go on up toward Riverbend. Then I recall someone mentioning Ratliff Ferry as a motorcycle hangout. So, I skip Riverbend, setting myself up for a long ride. Just as I settled in, there was Ratliff Ferry on the right. It is kind of a longish road to the Trading Post, but there is a big parking lot and picnic tables a store and a "bar" with a live band that day. I got a Gatorade from the store and sat down at the picnic table just outside. There were motorcycles parked and a large group of people - including, I think, the group from the church - hanging out under a shade tree.
Now, I'm not a very outgoing person. I'm shy and socially awkward. Nervous even. So, basically, I just sat there and watched. I didn't want to try to insert myself into a conversation - though I almost commented on one guy's shirt that was pretty cool, it said " Cars Suck " - and I didn't go stand around on the edges like I belonged. I consider that I pulled a 13th Warrior - standing on the bow of the ship to give the locals time to decide whether I was real or an apparition. I may do that a few more times. :)
Here is where it gets interesting. I took a right at the end of Harbor drive, thinking there was a on-ramp to the Trace back there. There isn't and I'm not sure why I thought there was, but I headed that way up Rice road. It was a pretty fun ride, nice curves and such. I took a left at the light onto St. Augustine road and then and left onto Old Canton Road at Strawberry Patch Park. Passing the private airport on the left, I saw the big Baptist church on the right - there was a group of motorcycles, led by a trike, coming out of the parking lot and pulling in front of me.
Awkward, right? You don't want to just fall in with a group and act like you're a part of them, but you don't want to just slow down and fall back just to avoid them. I was hoping they were not headed north on the Trace like I was. So, they passed the Trace on-ramp and I took it... awkward averted. Until I realized that this on-ramp was a South-Only ramp. No signs indicating that - no signs indicating the Trace at all on Old Canton coming from Madison. I just knew that was about the spot to get on the Trace as I saw the Trace bridge. Well, as I hit South, I saw the group of riders hit the Northbound side. Yeah, that would have been weird.
So, I keep on to the next point of interest - the Craft Center. I turn around and head back North. I stop at the Overlook briefly to take a sip of my Monster Rehab Green Tea. Then back on the Trace toward the Cypress Swamp!
I realized about that time that I had left my long lens at home and only had the 35mm with me. Aaarrrggghhh!
I did get some okay shots though :
So, I go on up toward Riverbend. Then I recall someone mentioning Ratliff Ferry as a motorcycle hangout. So, I skip Riverbend, setting myself up for a long ride. Just as I settled in, there was Ratliff Ferry on the right. It is kind of a longish road to the Trading Post, but there is a big parking lot and picnic tables a store and a "bar" with a live band that day. I got a Gatorade from the store and sat down at the picnic table just outside. There were motorcycles parked and a large group of people - including, I think, the group from the church - hanging out under a shade tree.
Now, I'm not a very outgoing person. I'm shy and socially awkward. Nervous even. So, basically, I just sat there and watched. I didn't want to try to insert myself into a conversation - though I almost commented on one guy's shirt that was pretty cool, it said " Cars Suck " - and I didn't go stand around on the edges like I belonged. I consider that I pulled a 13th Warrior - standing on the bow of the ship to give the locals time to decide whether I was real or an apparition. I may do that a few more times. :)
